Royals rampant against Locos

However, league organisers just managed to squeeze some matches in just before the restrictions into place.

In Division 1, Ryde Royals continued their fine form with a decisive victory over former second division team, Havenstreet Locos.

The Locos could not match their opponents, with the Royals steaming ahead to hand out a 9-0 whitewash, with most games won in straight sets.

Ricky Lock, of Ryde Royals.

However, Ryde’s Ricky Lock did have to work hard against Havenstreet’s Bernie Forward — and particularly Ian Loosemore, who was second in the Division 2 player averages last season.

The Royals top the table at this early stage of the season and have games in hand over most teams.

In the other match played, two Ryde teams met head-to-head — the Raiders and the Rivals.

With players from the 2019 Premier League involved for both teams, it was always going to a match with high standards.

But it is new Island League player, Mark Turner, who is proving a force to be reckoned with, having won all his matches for the Rivals, with only the Raiders’ Tim Giles taking a set against him.

The Rivals’ Pat Thorley, who played in Division 2 last season, had a fine match, winning two games.

In the end, the Rivals comfortably beat the Raiders 7-2 to go second in the table.

In Division 2, the match of the week was between second-placed Ryde Revellers and the St Lawrence Lizards.

The Revellers’ new player, Bryce Wilson, won two matches in a fine performance, while team-mate Nicky Dando followed suit.

However, nobody could get the better of St Lawrence’s Derek Pittard, although the Revellers’ John Penny pushed him all the way, losing in the fifth set of their match.

The match went on late into Wednesday evening last week, as the second coronavirus lockdown deadline loomed, with St Lawrence ultimately winning it 5-4.